I bought this dress on ebay with the original intention of cutting out the pattern and using the shape as a projection screen as part of my MFA thesis. It’s difficult to capture on film, but this fabric is absolutely luminous and glossy – it burns with so many colors! However, the projection idea proved too obtuse, and luckily, was scrapped. The dress remained, quiet, in my closet.
The first strange thing I noticed about this dress was that the piping around the pockets and sleeves is the sweetest color of periwinkle. But, I’ve never ever even thought to pair periwinkle with orange, but I think it looks quite lovely. I also like how the breast pockets look like folded envelopes! One thing I wish I could change about the dress is the length. It has a full zipper, like that of a house dress, fancy as though this fabric may be. It was probably a glorified dressing gown. We just got these paper flowers in at my work. I had a fun time today moving them from my hair to my blazer and back again. I got them in almost every color so brace yourselves to see some in the next few posts.
My remix shoes are still pleasing me with every time I wear them! These got a little beat up in the back when I rode on my bicycle.
Now my favorite! The sleeves! These are the kind of poofy sleeves I draw on all of my cartoon girls:

I think in this image I was literally chanting “Puffy sleeve! Puffy sleeve!” in a muppet voice.

The first time I wore the dress, Halloween, 2007:
I was posing as a living mannequin inside and outside of Decades Vintage Clothing in downtown Portland. I started out in the window, but I am too tall for most people walking by to notice. When people made eye contact with me, I winked at them! When I posed outside, two men pulled on my fingers to see if I was real. I held a dish of candy and whispered Enjoy when people took a piece. One woman yelled the loudest I’ve ever heard in real life. Her friends laughed at her. Two business men tipped me.

I have been car free for 2 years this January. When I moved from Oregon to Texas I sold my car to my best friend and shipped my 1970s yellow Raleigh down with me. This spring, I sold my Raleigh and got a sweet road bike that is zippy and really comfortable to ride for miles and miles. I have her outfitted with a top tube rack from etsy (it reads “Quite Contrary” and is much more faded after sitting in the Texas summer sun) and back baskets for carrying my backpack and groceries.
Raleigh Sprite 27 – early 1970s Road Stripe Yellow with original fenders and chain guard.

I love these Comet Ride Bike Accessories and wished they matched my bike better!

I have a high level of anxiety when I drive or ride in cars and I prefer to take the bus or ride my bike when I can.  My only concern has been being seen by other cars, but I also want to not feel like a total dork. Most of the safety do-dads out there are glowing safety vests and clunky helmets. I bought this coat so I could be better seen while riding my bike. When I first thought up a plan to have a day-glo coat, I thought I would have to hire someone to remake a coat from a vintage pattern. However, I snagged this coat for a measly $24 at Buffalo Exchange. When I got it, it was a bit too big and had other problems.Hideous orange buttons lined a double row down the front, so I cut them off and replaced them with black buttons. I also moved the buttons so that the coat is at least a size smaller.

There is the most adorable reflective lace with little bicycles on it that I may get to sew on the hem of the coat.